Portland Local News

Arrest in North Portland arsons

UPDATE: Monday morning, Portland Police arrested 20-year-old Richard David Simms Jr. on charges for setting the fires. Simms was identified after police officers reviewed surveillance video from a neighborhood resident. Simms was booked into the Multnomah County Jail for two counts of Arson in the First Degree, three counts of Arson in the Second Degree and one count of Reckless Burning.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Investigators have released home surveillance video of a suspect who set six fires Saturday morning in North Portland.

They happened between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. and burned two houses, two vehicles, a chair on a porch and a recycling bin.

The vandalism spree stretched from the area of North Hodge Avenue and Houghton Street to North Portsmouth Avenue and Lombard Street.

The suspect appears to be an African American male, possibly in his 20s, slender build, wearing a red over white hoody and baggy jeans.

Anyone with information about this suspect or these incidents is asked to contact Arson Detective Joe Luiz at (503) 823-3408 or joseph.luiz@portlandoregon.gov